Meaning Ubuntu installed on a USB vs an HDD. Would it make a difference security wise, example speed with USB during luksFormat with the specified iter time? Or a difference running it through USB or SATA regarding /dev/random?
1 Answer
The speed of the disk doesn't play a role here. The number of iterations (and the other parameters like number of threads or memory usage) you see in the LUKS header is used for the key derivation function which is used to derivate key from your passphrase and it is determined based on your CPU speed (or in case of the memory parameter for the Argon2 KDF also on the size of available RAM).
What can have an impact is creating the LUKS device on a system with slower CPU, like for example a RPi where the number of iterations will be very low and then using it on a more powerful system which will be able to derivate key much faster making the brute force attack (a bit) easier.
answered Nov 13, 2023 at 5:47
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And the bus speed in any way won't affect the security? Can you elaborate what are the "other parameters"?– user490829Commented Nov 13, 2023 at 7:45
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Would it help to load Ubuntu "to_ram"?– user490829Commented Nov 13, 2023 at 7:47
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I reworded the asnwer a bit, the "other parameters" were the other parameters of the KDF function besides number of iterations: number of threads (again, based on CPU) and memory requirement (for argon2 only). Commented Nov 13, 2023 at 9:47
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I see, thank you.– user490829Commented Nov 13, 2023 at 10:47